University of Georgia Athletics
Saturday, March 21
Iowa City, Iowa
1:30 p.m.
University of Georgia
vs
Arizona State/Virginia
Georgia Heads to Iowa for NCAA First and Second Rounds
March 18, 2026 | Women's Basketball
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» No. 24-ranked Georgia makes its 37th appearance in the NCAA tournament with a trip to Iowa City, Iowa for the first and second rounds. The Lady Bulldogs will play the winner of the Arizona State versus Virginia game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
» The Lady Bulldogs' 37 trips to the Big Dance are tied for third most among all NCAA women's basketball programs. Tennessee leads with 44, followed by Texas with 38. Georgia, UConn and Stanford all rank third at 37.
» This year's Georgia team had the best single-season turnaround in school history and was tops in the SEC from last year to this year. After going 13-19 a season ago, Georgia improved its win total by nine games with a 22-9 overall mark.
» Georgia boasts three wins against top 20 teams — the most for the program in the regular season since the 2010-11 campaign. The Lady Bulldogs defeated then-No. 16 ranked Ole Miss, 82-59, No. 11-ranked Kentucky, 72-67, and No. 5-ranked Vanderbilt, 76-74
» The Lady Bulldogs rank fifth in the SEC in both scoring defense (61.5 ppg) and field-goal percentage defense (38.1 percent). Georgia is 16-0 this season when holding teams to 59 points or less.
» Georgia is led by first team All-SEC selection Dani Carnegie. She finished the regular season ranked fourth in the SEC in scoring during league play with 18.9 ppg against conference foes.
» Sophomore forward Mia Woolfolk has scored in double figures in 12-straight games coming into the NCAA tournament. Woolfolk ranks third in the SEC in field-goal percentage, knocking in 59.7 percent from the field.
» Georgia's sophomore trio of Carnegie, Woolfolk and Trinity Turner account for 41.7 points per game this season. Four of the Lady Bulldogs' top 5 scorers are underclassmen.
Coach ABE is one of four coaches all time, joining Kellie Harper (Missouri State, NC State, Western Carolina, Tennessee), Jim Foster (Chattanooga, Ohio State, Saint Joseph's, Vanderbilt) and Stephanie Gaitley (Fairleigh Dickinson, Fordham, Richmond, Saint Joseph's) to take four or more programs to the Big Dance. This is Coach ABE's 13th appearance in the NCAA tournament as a head coach.
A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Coach ABE played at Georgia from 1985-87 and transferred to play closer to home at the University of Iowa from 1988-90. She helped the Lady Bulldogs capture the 1986 SEC Championship, before earning two Big Ten Championships with the Hawkeyes.
Coach ABE was one of the most sought after recruits in the nation following her outstanding prep career at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids. She was a two-time Iowa all-state selection and Parade first-team All-American after averaging 20.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. She scored 2,391 career points and set 15 school records at Washington.
This marks Georgia's third consecutive trip to Iowa for the NCAA tournament. The Lady Bulldogs played in Ames in 2022 and Iowa City in 2023. In its last visit to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Georgia defeated Florida State in the first round before narrowly falling to the Caitlin Clark led Iowa Hawkeyes in a tight 74-66 defeat.
Dani Carnegie's 18.1 ppg is the highest single-season average for a Georgia player since Tasha Humphrey scored just over 20 ppg during the 2005-06 campaign. Carnegie has scored in double figures in 27 of 31 games and tallied 13, 20-plus point efforts this year.
Carnegie's 32-point effort against Ole Miss marked the first time a Georgia player reached the 30-point mark since 2021 and was the eighth-best single-game total by an individual player in program history. The Mount Vernon, NY native turned around and scored 31 points against Arkansas, becoming the first Lady Bulldog to accomplish that feat since Katrina McClain back in 1987.
This year's Georgia team is one of the best 3-point shooting squads in school history. The Lady Bulldogs enter the NCAA tournament with 208 makes from behind the arc -- the third-best total in the program's 53 years of existence. The Lady Bulldogs need to just seven more 3-points to move into second place (215 in 2006-07) and 20 to tie to the program record (228 in 2005-06). Carnegie needs just one more 3-pointer to tie the school record for most 3-pointers in a season by a Georgia player (Cori Chambers with 85 in 2006-07).
Four Georgia players average double-figure scoring totals this season, marking the first time since the 2011-12 season (Jasmine Hassell, Khaalidah Miller, Anne Marie Armstrong and Jasmine James) the Lady Bulldogs have had four or more players accomplish that feat.
Georgia has scored 80 or points in 10 games this season, the most for the program since the 2005-06 campaign. The Lady Bulldogs also boast a trio of 90-point games and own a perfect record when hitting the 80-point mark.
Even with increased offensive numbers, Georgia's defense has continued to play well under Coach ABE. The Lady Bulldogs rank fifth in the SEC in field-goal percentage defense, holding teams to 38.1 percent from the field.
Georgia defeated three top 20 opponents during the regular season for the first time since the 2010-11 season, with victories against No. 5 Vanderbilt, No. 16 Ole Miss and No. 11 Kentucky. The 23-point win against Ole Miss marked Georgia's largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent in 20 years (Feb. 2, 2006 vs. No. 11 Kentucky, 91-57).
The Lady Bulldogs finished non-conference play undefeated for only the fifth occasion in program history. Georgia's 14-0 record marked the best start for the team since the 2009-10 season.
Georgia owns a commanding 38-10 lead in the all-time series against its rival Georgia Tech. This year's win against the Yellow Jackets marked a significant historical performance. The Lady Bulldogs' 28-point margin was the widest margin in the series since 1994, and the 87 points scored were Georgia's most against the Yellow Jackets since 1999. Georgia's win marked the program's first victory over Tech in Athens since 2017.
Georgia signed an impressive transfer portal and freshman classes in 2025. UGA's transfer portal class was ranked as high as No. 5 nationally (247sports.com) and the freshman class was ranked No. 18 nationally (by ESPN). The Lady Bulldogs are one of three SEC teams, joining Tennessee and LSU, to rank in the top 5 in the transfer portal and top-20 in freshman class rankings.
The Lady Bulldogs' five transfers include Dani Carnegie (Georgia Tech), Enjulina Gonzalez (Miami Ohio), Rylie Theuerkauf (Wake Forest), Aicha Ndour (Wichita State) and Vera Ojenuwa (Arkansas). This year's freshman class includes Jocelyn Faison (Atlanta).
Coach ABE preaches family and culture, and it shows in the longevity of her staff. Associate Head Coach Tahnee Balerio and assistants Isoken Uzamere, Nykesha Sales and Ebone Henry-Harris have been with Coach ABE a combined 43 seasons!
Georgia welcomed back All-SEC guard Diamond Battles, who now serves as a graduate assistant. Battles was one of just three SEC players to rank in the top 15 in scoring, assists and steals during the 2022-23 season.
Georgia women's basketball stands among the most elite programs in the SEC and the country. The Lady Bulldogs rank second in SEC history and 19th nationally with 1,108 all-time wins – one of just six league teams to reach the 1,000-victory mark (Tennessee, Georgia, LSU, South Carolina, Auburn and Texas). Georgia is tied for second in total conference victories (345) and third, behind Tennessee and South Carolina, with seven league championships.
For a full game notes packet the game, CLICK HERE.
Game Information
2026 WOMEN'S NCAA TOURNAMENT
#7 seed and #24-ranked Georgia (22-9, 8-8 SEC)
vs. either Virginia (19-11, 11-7 ACC) or Arizona State (24-10, 9-9 PAC 12)
Saturday, March 21 || 1:30 p.m. ET
Carver-Hawkeye Arena (15,500) || Iowa City, Iowa
ESPN2 (Matt Schumacker, Ros Gold-Onwude)
Listen to Jeff Dantzler on 960 AM The Ref, ESPN 103.7 FM or the Georgia Bulldogs Sports App.
LADY BULLDOGS
Ranking: 24 in both polls
Head Coach: Coach ABE
Career Record: 441-215 (21st season)
Record at Georgia: 69-58 (4th season)
SERIES VS. ARIZONA STATE
OVERALL ASU Leads, 4-1
IN ATHENS ASU Leads, 1-0
IN TEMPE ASU Leads, 2-0
NEUTRAL Series Tied, 1-1
LAST MEETING ASU won 58-47 (3/21/09)
SERIES VS. Virginia
OVERALL Series Tied, 3-3
IN ATHENS Georgia Leads, 2-1
IN CHARLOTTESVILLE Virgina Leads, 2-1
NEUTRAL Never met
LAST MEETING Georgia won 64-61 (11/16/17)
SERIES VS. FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON
OVERALL Never Met
SERIES VS. IOWA
OVERALL Series Tied, 3-3
IN ATHENS Never met
IN IOWA CITY Series Tied, 1-1
NEUTRAL Series Tied, 2-2
LAST MEETING Iowa won 74-66 (3/19/23)
Opening Tip Storylines
» No. 24-ranked Georgia makes its 37th appearance in the NCAA tournament with a trip to Iowa City, Iowa for the first and second rounds. The Lady Bulldogs will play the winner of the Arizona State versus Virginia game on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
» The Lady Bulldogs' 37 trips to the Big Dance are tied for third most among all NCAA women's basketball programs. Tennessee leads with 44, followed by Texas with 38. Georgia, UConn and Stanford all rank third at 37.
» This year's Georgia team had the best single-season turnaround in school history and was tops in the SEC from last year to this year. After going 13-19 a season ago, Georgia improved its win total by nine games with a 22-9 overall mark.
» Georgia boasts three wins against top 20 teams — the most for the program in the regular season since the 2010-11 campaign. The Lady Bulldogs defeated then-No. 16 ranked Ole Miss, 82-59, No. 11-ranked Kentucky, 72-67, and No. 5-ranked Vanderbilt, 76-74
» The Lady Bulldogs rank fifth in the SEC in both scoring defense (61.5 ppg) and field-goal percentage defense (38.1 percent). Georgia is 16-0 this season when holding teams to 59 points or less.
» Georgia is led by first team All-SEC selection Dani Carnegie. She finished the regular season ranked fourth in the SEC in scoring during league play with 18.9 ppg against conference foes.
» Sophomore forward Mia Woolfolk has scored in double figures in 12-straight games coming into the NCAA tournament. Woolfolk ranks third in the SEC in field-goal percentage, knocking in 59.7 percent from the field.
» Georgia's sophomore trio of Carnegie, Woolfolk and Trinity Turner account for 41.7 points per game this season. Four of the Lady Bulldogs' top 5 scorers are underclassmen.
NCAA/SEC STATS RANKINGS
 |
NCAA/SEC STATS RANKINGS |   |
|---|---|---|
| 73.6 | POINTS PER GAME | 42/10 |
| 45.0 | FG% | 38/6 |
| 34.0 | 3FG% | 77/7 |
| 72.3 | FT% | 154/8 |
| 37.2 | REBOUNDS PER GAME | 152/12 |
| 13.8 | ASSISTS PER GAME | 130/10 |
| 2.8 | BLOCKS PER GAME | 215/16 |
| 8.0 | STEALS PER GAME | 187/12 |
| 61.5 | SCORING DEFENSE | 114/5 |
| 38.1 | FG% DEFENSE | 77/5 |
| 29.6 | 3FG% DEFENSE | 129/6 |
| +3.2 | REBOUND MARGIN | 105/8 |
| 1.0 | AST - TO RATIO | 93/8 |
ABE Has Elite Tourney Experience
Coach ABE is one of four coaches all time, joining Kellie Harper (Missouri State, NC State, Western Carolina, Tennessee), Jim Foster (Chattanooga, Ohio State, Saint Joseph's, Vanderbilt) and Stephanie Gaitley (Fairleigh Dickinson, Fordham, Richmond, Saint Joseph's) to take four or more programs to the Big Dance. This is Coach ABE's 13th appearance in the NCAA tournament as a head coach.
Back to Her Roots
A native of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Coach ABE played at Georgia from 1985-87 and transferred to play closer to home at the University of Iowa from 1988-90. She helped the Lady Bulldogs capture the 1986 SEC Championship, before earning two Big Ten Championships with the Hawkeyes.
Coach ABE was one of the most sought after recruits in the nation following her outstanding prep career at Washington High School in Cedar Rapids. She was a two-time Iowa all-state selection and Parade first-team All-American after averaging 20.3 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. She scored 2,391 career points and set 15 school records at Washington.
Third-Straight Trip to Iowa
This marks Georgia's third consecutive trip to Iowa for the NCAA tournament. The Lady Bulldogs played in Ames in 2022 and Iowa City in 2023. In its last visit to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, Georgia defeated Florida State in the first round before narrowly falling to the Caitlin Clark led Iowa Hawkeyes in a tight 74-66 defeat.
Carnegie is Best Georgia Scorer in 20 Years
Dani Carnegie's 18.1 ppg is the highest single-season average for a Georgia player since Tasha Humphrey scored just over 20 ppg during the 2005-06 campaign. Carnegie has scored in double figures in 27 of 31 games and tallied 13, 20-plus point efforts this year.
In Rare Company
Carnegie's 32-point effort against Ole Miss marked the first time a Georgia player reached the 30-point mark since 2021 and was the eighth-best single-game total by an individual player in program history. The Mount Vernon, NY native turned around and scored 31 points against Arkansas, becoming the first Lady Bulldog to accomplish that feat since Katrina McClain back in 1987.
Hitting Behind the Arc ... Carnegie Approaches Record
This year's Georgia team is one of the best 3-point shooting squads in school history. The Lady Bulldogs enter the NCAA tournament with 208 makes from behind the arc -- the third-best total in the program's 53 years of existence. The Lady Bulldogs need to just seven more 3-points to move into second place (215 in 2006-07) and 20 to tie to the program record (228 in 2005-06). Carnegie needs just one more 3-pointer to tie the school record for most 3-pointers in a season by a Georgia player (Cori Chambers with 85 in 2006-07).
Quartet of Dawgs in Double Figures ... First Time in a Long Time
Four Georgia players average double-figure scoring totals this season, marking the first time since the 2011-12 season (Jasmine Hassell, Khaalidah Miller, Anne Marie Armstrong and Jasmine James) the Lady Bulldogs have had four or more players accomplish that feat.
We Love the 80s
Georgia has scored 80 or points in 10 games this season, the most for the program since the 2005-06 campaign. The Lady Bulldogs also boast a trio of 90-point games and own a perfect record when hitting the 80-point mark.
Scoring and Defending
Even with increased offensive numbers, Georgia's defense has continued to play well under Coach ABE. The Lady Bulldogs rank fifth in the SEC in field-goal percentage defense, holding teams to 38.1 percent from the field.
Lady Bulldogs Down a Trio of Top 20 Opponents
Georgia defeated three top 20 opponents during the regular season for the first time since the 2010-11 season, with victories against No. 5 Vanderbilt, No. 16 Ole Miss and No. 11 Kentucky. The 23-point win against Ole Miss marked Georgia's largest margin of victory against a ranked opponent in 20 years (Feb. 2, 2006 vs. No. 11 Kentucky, 91-57).
Perfect in Non-conference Play
The Lady Bulldogs finished non-conference play undefeated for only the fifth occasion in program history. Georgia's 14-0 record marked the best start for the team since the 2009-10 season.
Dawgs Dominate Tech
Georgia owns a commanding 38-10 lead in the all-time series against its rival Georgia Tech. This year's win against the Yellow Jackets marked a significant historical performance. The Lady Bulldogs' 28-point margin was the widest margin in the series since 1994, and the 87 points scored were Georgia's most against the Yellow Jackets since 1999. Georgia's win marked the program's first victory over Tech in Athens since 2017.
Transfer, Freshmen Classes Rank Among Nation's Best
Georgia signed an impressive transfer portal and freshman classes in 2025. UGA's transfer portal class was ranked as high as No. 5 nationally (247sports.com) and the freshman class was ranked No. 18 nationally (by ESPN). The Lady Bulldogs are one of three SEC teams, joining Tennessee and LSU, to rank in the top 5 in the transfer portal and top-20 in freshman class rankings.
The Lady Bulldogs' five transfers include Dani Carnegie (Georgia Tech), Enjulina Gonzalez (Miami Ohio), Rylie Theuerkauf (Wake Forest), Aicha Ndour (Wichita State) and Vera Ojenuwa (Arkansas). This year's freshman class includes Jocelyn Faison (Atlanta).
Georgia Family
Coach ABE preaches family and culture, and it shows in the longevity of her staff. Associate Head Coach Tahnee Balerio and assistants Isoken Uzamere, Nykesha Sales and Ebone Henry-Harris have been with Coach ABE a combined 43 seasons!
Battles is Back
Georgia welcomed back All-SEC guard Diamond Battles, who now serves as a graduate assistant. Battles was one of just three SEC players to rank in the top 15 in scoring, assists and steals during the 2022-23 season.
A Winning Tradition
Georgia women's basketball stands among the most elite programs in the SEC and the country. The Lady Bulldogs rank second in SEC history and 19th nationally with 1,108 all-time wins – one of just six league teams to reach the 1,000-victory mark (Tennessee, Georgia, LSU, South Carolina, Auburn and Texas). Georgia is tied for second in total conference victories (345) and third, behind Tennessee and South Carolina, with seven league championships.
Full Game Notes (PDF)
For a full game notes packet the game, CLICK HERE.
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Players Mentioned
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/ Women's BasketballGeorgia Women's Basketball - Trinity Turner & Dani Carnegie Feature
Tuesday, March 17
Georgia Women's Basketball - Coach Abe and Players Pre-NCAA Tournament Press Conference
Monday, March 16
Georgia Women's Basketball - Coach Abe, Dani Carnegie, and Mia Woolfolk SEC Tournament vs Kentucky Postgame Press Conference
Thursday, March 05
Georgia Women's Basketball vs. Florida - Postgame Highlights
Sunday, March 01